Adjustable support for excavation batter boards



D. PRIORE Feb. 14, 1967 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR EXCAVATION BATTER BOARDSFiled Jan. 13, 1966 IN VENIOR. DANIEL PRIORE United States Patent3,304,041 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR EXCAVATION BATTER BOARDS DanielPrior-e, 2265 SW. 15th St., Miami, Fla. 33145 Filed Jan. 13, 1%6, Ser.No. 520,472 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-156) This invention relates in general todevices for building excavations, and more particularly to reusablestaking devices for retaining and adjusting batter boards used tooutline and dimension configurations in proximity to the earth to beexcavated.

Prior to the present invention, batter boards were commonly retained inapproximate formation above the earth by nailing or otherwise fasteningsame to wood stakes driven into the earth. The driving of the woodstakes in the earth is often met with difficulty, such as hardformation, stones, and other impediments which prevent the stakes frombeing accurately and securely driven and often the stakes are split ordeformed during the driving operation, thus resulting in a loss of timeand accuracy with the marking of an excavation configuration.

The present invention overcomes the above objections and disadvantagesby the provision of a slender iron or steel stake which may be readilydriven into hard or stony earth and with the added provision of anadjustable clamp means slidably positioned on the stake for securelyclamping a batter board to the stake and with provision for horizontaladjustment of same, which construction is a principal object of theinvention.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a reusable batterboard support device which includes a cylindrical iron or steel stakepreferably pointed at one end for ease of penetration when verticallydriven into the earth and a body member slidably positioned on saidstake having an offset vertical ar-m member for securely clamping abatter board to said stake and screw means for adjustably securing saidbody member to said stake.

These and other objects in one embodiment of the invention are describedand shown in the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the right angle junction oftwo batter boards retained by two batter board supports.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation taken through sectionline 22. FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the support shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation taken through section line 44,FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an inside end elevation of elements shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an outside end elevation of elements shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of cylindrical metal rods or stakes1, preferably steel or iron and pointed at one end, are adapted to bedriven substantially vertically into the earth in predetermined relationfor the support of at least two parallel batter boards, which boards areusually arranged in a configuration outlining an excavation required inthe earth.

A body member 2 has a bore therethrough for slidable engagement on rod 1and has an integral boss 3 with three parallel threaded bores 4therethrough normal the axis of the rod 1. A right angle lockinglever-screw 5 3,304fi4i Patented Feb. 14, 1967 is threaded into one ofsaid bores for locking engagement with rod 1. The extra two threadedbores 4 are available in the event of the stripping of the threads inthe original bore used.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, an offset vertical arm 6 is integralwith body member 2 and has a rectangular inner shape for receiving aboard 7 of rectangular cross section and various thickness, commonlycalled a batter board, with one side of each board positioned againstrod 1, as shown. The arm portion 6 is provided with an integral boss 8through which there are three spaced threaded bores 9 normal to the axisof rod 1. A set screw 11 is threaded into a selected one of bores 9. Asin the body, the extra two bores in the arm are available in the eventof the stripping of the threads in the bore used.

In operation, the posts are driven into the earth, by using aconventional protective cap upon the upper end thereof, not shown, in aformation whereby the batter boards are secured between the arms 7 andthe rods and clamped therein by screws 10.

It is apparent that by loosening leverscrew 5 the body 2 may be adjustedvertically on rod 1 to attain the desired horizontal position of thebatter boards. Thus when the boards are properly in place, guide linesor wire 11 may be secured and strung on boards at desired locations anddirections as an accurate guide for excavating the earth in relation tothe lines, such as is illustrated in FIG. 1.

It is understood that certain modifications in the construction,utilizing the features above described, are intended to come within thescope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In combination support means; plural mensuration batter boards and atleast two like straight round metal stakes of predetermined length anduniform cross section, which are adapted to be driven into the earth inpredetermined spaced vertical relation, said support means comprising abody member comprising an elongated cylinder having a coaxial cylinderbore therethrough for a slidable linear and rotational movement on eachof said stakes including a vertical arm extending upward from saidcylinder with the inner surface thereof in predetermined parallel spacedrelation to the axis of said bore and a vertical web integral with saidcylinder and said arm and having an upper surface on said inner surfacefor supporting and reinforcing the vertical arm,

a first boss extending outward from said cylinder and including a firstthreaded hole through said boss and said cylinder substantially normalthe axis of said bore,

a first hand screw threaded into said first hole for end engagement witheach of said stakes for securing said cylinder in a predeterminedvertical and azimuthal position thereon,

a second boss projecting from the outer side of said arm and integraltherewith and including a second threaded hole therethroughsubstantially normal the axis of said bore,

a batter board supported at opposite end portions thereof by'each saidbody member and resting on said upper surface of said web between eachof said stakes and each corresponding said vertical arm a secondhandscrew threaded through said second hole for engaging and clamping abatter board against the side of each of said stakes in predeterminedrelation to the surface of said earth whereby mensuration lines may beattached to any position along said batter board for mensurationpurposes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Sharp 248'229 XMcCarthy 248-156 X Sorensen 248-229 Gosh 24840 Clapp 248226 Long 33-74Grohe 248230 FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1930 Australia.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

